Falling For You
by Violet Nyte
Summary: 1 2, 3 4 During the war, the emotional tension between Duo and Heero explodes into a frantic chain of events that leaves both in peril... of more than heart-break. -finished-
1. Part One

LSE // 4-29-03   
(Falling For You - Part One)  
rated: R - language, content, violence  
shounen-ai/yaoi   
  
Part One  
  
-  
  
But for the steady, rhythmic click of the keyboard, the room was   
quiet. Which was no surprise considering the sole occupant was   
completely absorbed in the glowing laptop screen before him. Or, at   
least he believed himself to be focused. In reality, Heero couldn't   
keep himself from straining to catch the sounds of a Gundam landing.   
Specifically, the Gundam Deathscythe.   
  
He told himself it was just concern for the mission. Definitely not   
concern for the moronic, braided pilot. Not even when Duo's mere   
presence made him feel as flighty and excited as... No. These were   
not appropriate... Heero shied away from the word feelings.  
  
With an angry scowl, that look which Duo referred to as the Heero Yuy   
Death-Glare (tm) and many had seen as the last thing before death, he   
closed the laptop. The resulting snap seemed to vibrate off the walls   
and punctuated the quiet. A cold precision to the action, Heero   
checked to make sure his gun was clear in its holster before walking   
out from the small bedroom -- surely it was coincidence he was   
sharing the room with Duo...   
  
He found the other pilots lounged in front of the television.   
Actually, Quatre leaned every so slightly against Trowa, who merely   
pretended to be interested in the movie they were watching. Wufei sat   
removed from the scene, but still very much a part of it even though   
he read a slim paperback. Only Trowa glanced over when Heero entered.  
  
When a commercial break caused a rift in Quatre's concentration, he   
looked over and blinked wide, aqua marine eyes. Startled, but   
determined not to be bothered by the fact Heero was just standing   
there with a grim scowl, Quatre smiled and asked, "Do you need   
something, Heero?"  
  
No reply came, because Heero's alert ears had caught the faintest   
roar of an engine in the distance and he had already spun around to   
leave. Quatre exchanged a knowing look with Trowa and settled back   
against the taller boy's side to watch the rest of the film.  
  
Heero hesitated at the door of the safe house, pressing one cheek to   
the glass to best peer out into the twilight gloom. He could just   
barely make out the silhouette of the Gundam lowering into the forest.  
He had no reason to go out to meet Duo. Soon Deathscythe's pilot would  
return and give a debriefing of the mission. And there was no   
indication by the mecha's flight that the pilot was suffering from   
serious injury.  
  
But Duo had been acting oddly lately. Heero hadn't really wanted to   
let him go out on the mission to begin with. He hadn't voiced his   
objections, though, since he had no reason to. Quiet. That's what was   
bothering him so much about Duo's behavior. He was oddly quiet. Not   
that Heero cared. Not at all.  
  
The glass fogged from Heero's breath, momentarily disrupting his view   
of the Gundam. He backed away and started to simply wipe the glass   
off, but instead shoved his hands into his pockets. A sigh filled with   
a shocking amount of longing escaped him and Heero turned away from   
the door with difficulty.   
  
Duo was over an hour late. Heero grabbed frantically at a soldier's   
emotionless composure and prepared to chew Deathscythe's pilot out.   
He forced himself to be furious with Duo. Pilot 02 had obviously not   
followed the mission parameters. Time tables were not suggestions.   
Heero didn't work so hard planning these things to have braided bakas   
ruin everything. Yes, he was mad at Duo.   
  
After all, anger was so much easier to deal with than...  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The control panel's lights has completely dimmed and the Gundam had   
grown silent before its pilot even stirred. His injuries were minor;   
a few cuts and bruises from being bashed against the cockpit walls,   
but the cause of the reluctance wasn't physical.   
  
Duo gripped the seat until his knuckles were white, trying to shake   
the lingering shades of doubt. The mission had gone so horribly wrong.   
The original plan was simply annihilate an Oz base. There were few   
personnel -- it was mostly a research facility -- and even fewer   
mobile suits, which was why only one Gundam had been sent.  
  
That was the original plan. Get in, make hell, get out. Simple. Be   
back for dinner, save me a seat by the tube. Yeah, right, Duo thought   
with a tired sigh, releasing the seat with a pained hiss. He'd gotten   
in fine, and had begun to gleefully rip the base apart when the   
information he'd received proved to be horribly wrong.  
  
To begin with, there had been more mobile suits; more soldiers. And   
the base wasn't even a research facility. Oh, no, he couldn't have   
been lucky. It had to be a training area. The pilots he'd found   
resisting his destruction had been mere boys, even younger than   
himself. None could be more than thirteen. At first, Duo was sure   
he'd gotten the coordinates wrong. But, no, he had time to double   
check before the slaughter had begun.  
  
Even with the number advantage, the recruits, the student-soldiers,   
were no match for Shinigami. Death had swept through the ranks   
quickly. Duo had tried to see them has only the enemy, not children,   
but it was impossible.   
  
With a groan, he saw the time was an hour past when he should have   
gotten back. But orders had clearly stated not to let anyone leave   
the area alive. He had been forced to hunt down the few that had   
fled. And it had taken him a while to polish off both the base and   
the suits. But, he wouldn't think of that. He wouldn't think of how   
easily the scythe had cut through the transport... flames...  
  
Jumping down to the soft forest floor, Duo quickly went about   
concealing Deathscythe from both eyesight and radar searches. Already,  
he was formulating what he would report back to the four waiting   
pilots. Trowa wouldn't say anything, but Wufei might call him a   
weakling for taking so long to deal with nothing more than a 'handful   
of brats' (he could just see the Chinese pilot referring to the   
training base's fighters as such.) That he could handle.   
  
Quatre, however, had an unnerving ability to see through even his   
brightest of masks. The small blonde would sense his uneasiness about   
the slaughter and might... No. He'd have to avoid Quatre. And that   
just left Heero. Perfect Heero Yuy.   
  
But he had done everything according to plan. It wasn't his fault the   
information was faulty and that recruits took so long to die. So what   
if he was an hour late? Fuck Heero!  
  
Footsteps heavy and dragging, he trudged up towards the safe house,   
nestled into concealment among the hills and wood. As he parted from   
the forest and drew closer, he could see that a few lights were still   
on in the living room and upstairs. One light he knew was coming from   
the room he shared with Heero. The other, which had an added flicker   
to it, came from the living room and announced the television was   
still running.  
  
Maybe he could just sneak into the kitchen and grab a quick snack   
before going upstairs, avoiding Quatre's inquisitive stare. That   
still just left Heero. Fuck Heero. Duo pressed lightly on the kitchen   
door and gained himself admittance into the dimly lit room. Quietly,   
so not to warn the others of his presence, he rummaged through the   
cabinets before finding a protein bar. Although not his snack of   
choice, it would suffice for his purposes.  
  
Employing full Shinigami-stealth capabilities, Duo moved for the   
hall, the stairs, and freedom. Unfortunately, he was almost on the   
first step when a cheerful call came from behind him; "There you are,   
Duo!" Quatre said, "How was the mission?"  
  
Cursing silently, Duo turned with a smile firmly in place, "Mission   
successful, but I'm beat. I was just going to skip up to bed early..."  
  
Quatre frowned, "Are you hurt any?"  
  
Duo shook his head despite it being a small lie. Several bruises  
crossed his shoulders and he'd received a glorious bump to the head   
from being shook about the cockpit, but the injuries were slight and   
did not need anything besides rest. Just when Duo thought he'd get   
off, there came a heavier pace of footsteps.  
  
Drawn by voices, Heero came even with Quatre and a little beyond,   
glaring up at the pilot on the stairs. "You're late," he barked,   
"what went wrong with the mission?"  
  
Only Quatre caught the apprehensive worry in the question. Duo   
returned the scowl and tone in kind, "Nothing went wrong except your   
Goddamn information."  
  
"My information was faultless."  
  
"That wasn't no fucking research facility, that was a training base   
full of new recruits."  
  
Heero's eyes glittered dangerously, "A handful of recruits slowed   
your progress by one hour? Did you even complete the mission?"  
  
About to interject with peace, Quatre caught the look in fury in   
Duo's stance and choose to retreat with the hope the two could reach   
resolution without violence. Slipping out from the hall, Quatre   
hesitated in the doorway to catch Duo's enraged explanation before   
fully withdrawing. His empathy only received snatches of emotion from   
either pilot, and none of what he was picking up seemed healthy. In   
Quatre's opinion, Duo and Heero needed to admit their feelings and   
stop acting so...   
  
Juvenile.  
  
"Even a young enemy is a target," Heero said coldly, meeting Duo's   
glare evenly.   
  
"You bastard, those were children!"  
  
"Children can kill just as effectively as adults. If you cannot   
control your useless precognitions about age and war, Pilot 02..."  
  
Duo suddenly didn't want to see that cold, smug look anymore. Not on   
a face he so longed to caress and kiss. Damn you, Heero Yuy! he   
though furiously, why do you have to be such a...! Without even   
realizing it, Duo back-handed Heero across the face.  
  
Beyond a low grunt and the slight shifting of his head to the left,   
there was no reaction from Heero. Duo started to apologize, but he   
wasn't sorry and, as far as he was concerned, Heero deserved it.   
"Next time, get your fucking information straight, and don't bitch at   
me for taking an hour longer than your precious time table allows,"   
Duo growled, surprising even himself with the violent tone.  
  
Without giving Heero a chance to respond, Duo whirled around and   
stalked up the stairs. Unfortunately, he shared a bedroom with the   
Japanese pilot and the chance of Wufei trading was zero. Fuming, Duo   
jerked his clothes off and threw them at the floor, where they   
harmlessly landed. Standing in the doorway with one hand on the light  
switch, Duo strained his ears to catch the soft voices rising up from   
the stairs.  
  
"...apologize to Duo," Quatre pleaded. Heero either made no reply or   
it was silent.  
  
Clicking off the lights with more force than necessary, Duo turned   
and, after letting his eyes adjust to the darkness, crawled into his   
narrow bed. He dared Heero to come in later and turn on the lights,   
or make so much as a peep of noise.   
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Hours later, when Heero did dare to venture into the darkened bedroom,  
Duo was fast asleep. The Japanese pilot stood for a moment in the   
gloom, looking at the still, peaceful face so devoid of the previous   
fury. Some part of Heero felt ashamed for yelling at Duo after what   
had happened, but the dominating feeling was one of satisfaction. His   
first instinct, seeing the tired, worn look on Duo's face, was to   
rush up and... hug the boy.   
  
Heero shook his head in disgust. Soldiers did not hug.  
  
As always, Heero fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.   
Yet another way he differed from his companions in regards to   
training; a true soldier learned to sleep on command.   
  
Across the room, however, Duo's face shifted from peaceful to   
anguished as images swirled up through his unconscious and formed   
into nightmare. Slain children pursued him, each pointing to Duo as   
their killer, their Shinigami. The recruits, no longer faceless   
pilots to oppose him but happy, vibrant children, screamed as Duo's   
scythe reaped destruction and chaos.  
  
"No..." Duo moaned, tossing in his bed and vainly trying to seek   
escape. "No..."   
  
Sharp pain snapped Duo back into reality, and he opened his eyes to   
find the hard glint of Heero's glare bearing down. Heero's hand was   
raised and Duo's face stung fiercely on either cheek: the Japanese   
boy had slapped him awake. "Ow," Duo muttered, and knew he was   
blushing beneath the red marks from Heero's palm.  
  
"Baka," Heero issued coldly, but made no move to get off Duo's bed.  
  
"What's your deal?" Duo snapped back, sitting upright and throwing his  
best glare. Acting as if he hadn't been lingering, Heero stood and   
wordless went back to his own bed.   
  
"Don't disturb my sleep with your pathetic whines," Heero growled out   
once back under his sheets, turning away from Duo's side of the room.  
  
Maybe it was the stress. Maybe it was Heero. For whatever reason, Duo   
snapped and, before Heero even had time to realize it, the American   
had charged out of bed and across the room. Heero recovered enough to   
sit upright and raise a hand in defense before Duo's fist connect   
squarely with his jaw.   
  
"Bastard!" Duo shrieked.   
  
More surprised than actually hurt, it took Heero a moment to recover   
from the blow. Duo felt his anger ebb slightly and opening his mouth   
to apologize, but the words died into a soundless gasp as Heero calmly  
returned the punch; right into Duo's gut.   
  
Screw apologizing! Duo thought, hauling Heero out from the bed and   
tackling the boy to the floor. Tightly concealed emotion exploded   
into fury beyond cause for the circumstances. What started as cold   
and precise dissolved into a frantic scramble over the carpeting,   
each trying to gain the advantage over the other. Wrapping his hand   
through Duo's braid, Heero lifted the boy's head enough to gain   
leverage before slamming it into the dresser. Duo retaliated by   
clawing at Heero's arms to get his braid released before kneeing   
Heero in the stomach.  
  
Suddenly, they came to a stop, Duo pinned beneath Heero. Both boys   
were breathing hard and sweat glistened over equally heated glares.  
Duo was uncomfortably aware of the feel of Heero's hands on his bare   
arm despite the violent grip in which they were locked. Staring up   
Heero's face above his and realizing how pointless the entire thing   
was, Duo forced himself to go lax in silent surrender.  
  
"Why do you have to be so heartless?" Duo whispered quietly, his   
voice still carrying the lingering traces of anger.  
  
"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" Heero returned.  
  
Before Duo could stop himself, he answered. "Because I love you."  
  
The world stopped, it seemed, and Duo watched in agony as Heero's   
eyes first flew wide, giving him some hope, but then returned to the   
same narrowed glare. "Love is for the weak," Heero growled, abruptly   
releasing Duo and standing, seemingly uneffected by the fight.   
  
Stunned, Duo could only lie there, staring up at the cold look on   
Heero's face. Ideally, Heero would have whispered back an exclamation   
of love and their lips would have met in that glorious first kiss.   
Ideally, and ideal was just blown to hell.  
  
"You..." Duo began weakly, gaining his feet and staring with   
disbelief into Heero's blank face. He couldn't... Duo turned away,   
jerking his bag out from under the bed and snatching up jeans a shirt.  
  
"Where are you going?" Heero demanded.  
  
A vicious "Fuck you" was the only reply as Duo jammed the clothes on   
with shaking hands. He had to get out. Away from Heero. Just... away.  
  
Heero watched silently, unable to grasp the gravity of the situation   
but fully aware he had just seriously screwed up. He longed to reset   
everything and start over. But love was for... Heero tried to shut  
out the soldier's training and his own reflexes. Hearing the emotion   
in Duo's announcement, and seeing Duo's reaction to Heero's own   
heartless, bastardly comment.   
  
Heero wanted to approach the boy and confess his own... feelings.  
  
"You guys okay?" Quatre's voice called, floating through the closed   
door along with a soft knock. The blond stepped back quickly when Duo   
swung the door open and silently brushed by him with fresh bruises   
his face and a limp. Startled, to say the least, Quatre glanced into   
the bedroom long enough to see Heero standing there, equally as   
beaten, before hurrying after Duo.  
  
Forehead pressed to the glass, Heero watched from the window as Duo   
stormed out of the safe house at a near run. Quatre started to follow,  
but the small Arabian stopped half-way across the lawn in defeat. The   
soldier in him demanded Heero prevent Duo from wandering off and   
jeopardizing the safety of the Gundams or the other pilots. Heero   
squashed the soldier's response and tried to think about what a   
normal human would do in similar circumstances.  
  
Go after him.  
  
Stay here and wait for him to shake it off.  
  
You're a moron. You should have said you...  
  
Heero growled and turned away from the window, hands clenched into   
fists as if daring the thoughts to continue. He did NOT feel anything   
for that mindless baka. Any concern was purely related to the mission.  
And the fact Heero was helplessly in love with Duo.  
  
-  
  
-   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
Author's Notes: Yeah, yeah; I'm suppose to working on my AU 'fic for   
that contest. *cough* Well, this sorta just jumped up and tackled me   
with my muses beating me into submission and I was in a feverish,   
half-dead state of illness already, so... (I'm current struck with   
some random sickness. Joy) This is what you get. Shouldn't be terribly  
long, maybe just another part (notice I'm not using chapters for this.  
Just to be random. And I feel like this needs parts.) or two.   
Probably just one more part, unless my muses... *half-hearted glare*  
  
Oh, and the story title isn't what it seems... [insert evil laugh]   
  
I'm staying home sick tomorrow, so... fingers crossed!  
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2003 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.   
Email me to join my Update ML!   
LSE - Violet Nyte (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)   
shameless plug - visit my website for cool "shtuff"   



	2. Part Two

LSE // 4-30-03   
(Falling For You - Part Two)  
rated: R - language, content, violence  
shounen-ai/yaoi   
  
Part Two  
  
-  
  
The small, rural village was ten miles from the safe house, and Duo   
had trudged through just one of those miles when the dark sky rumbled   
and broke open into rain. Duo stopped walking and tilted his head up   
towards the heavens, mentally cursing every major and minor deity he   
could think of in no particular order. How much worse could things   
possibly get?  
  
The shock and anger was wearing off, leaving Duo feeling empty and   
vaguely frightened. How could he go on living in the same house with   
Heero after what'd just happened? He'd taken a risk, admitting his   
feelings, and it hadn't panned out. Those small glimpses of humanity   
Duo could have sworn he'd seen in those cold eyes were a lie. Heero   
was a heartless bastard and would never...  
  
Lowering his head, Duo started off again on the road, arms hugged to   
his chest for warmth. With the rain came a falling temperature, but   
it didn't especially bother Duo. Maybe he'd catch a dead cold and die,  
and then Heero would be plagued by guilt and Duo would come back and   
haunt the stoic pilot into insanity and...   
  
No, Heero would never feel guilty. "He'd probably celebrate," Duo   
muttered darkly, wiping rain from his face.   
  
Another mile passed and Duo's footsteps lagged. Tired and worn - and   
exhaustingly aware he needed sleep - Duo stopped walking and looked   
around for a miracle or something. Forest lined either side of the   
narrow dirt road and held no sign of yielding to civilization.   
Recalling what he could of the terrain from missions, Duo forced   
himself to walk another hundred yards around the bend in the road.  
  
As he hoped, there was a small shelter from the rain available. The   
road widened and turned into pavement as the forest fell away before   
the might of a creek, swollen with the winter melt and current rain   
storms. Along the railing of the bridge were battered coverings   
designed to keep fishermen dry. They worked just as well for Gundam   
pilots, and Duo nearly collapsed under one.  
  
Beyond the rails, the creek raced by looking swift and dangerous. Duo   
stared at the turbulent waters, his thoughts swirling nearly as fast   
as the water below. He drew his knees up to his chest and wrapped his  
arms around them, shivering. At least he wasn't getting rained on...   
very much, he amended, looking up to the leaky covering. Resting his   
head on his knees, Duo let out a long sigh which broke into a sob.  
  
Heero...  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Heero paced between the couch and the television, his eyes every so   
often darting to the windows and the doorway. Two hours, and no sign   
of Duo. Worrying was irrational and unproductive, the soldier pointed   
out. Heero growled in response to the unsaid thoughts, causing Quatre   
to jump. Before either could react, the phone rang.  
  
Quatre barely had time to turn his head towards the kitchen before a   
blur flashed past and Heero barked into the receiver, "Where did you   
find him?"  
  
"...I didn't find him. Put Winner on," the irritated Chinese pilot   
answered.  
  
"Why not? Why are you calling?"  
  
To Heero's great annoyance, Quatre had insisted only Wufei go into   
the town and look for Duo, and even then only once the rain had   
started. The blond's reasoning was that Wufei knew the roads better   
than Heero and one boy would not cause as much suspicion as two. In   
truth, Quatre hesitated against letting Heero be the one to find the   
wayward Duo. In truth, Quatre had slipped Wufei aside and whispered   
that he didn't really have to bring Duo back, just make sure he was   
safe.  
  
In Quatre's opinion, Heero and Duo needed time away from each other.   
Or to just admit to their feelings, and it didn't take a space-heart   
to read anything into the glances Heero kept throwing to the window.   
And Duo's face plainly lit up whenever the Japanese pilot entered the   
room or even when his name was mentioned.  
  
"Put. Winner. On," Wufei ground out between the clenched teeth.   
  
Fortunately, Quatre arrived at Heero's shoulder and coaxed the phone   
away from him, heedless of the Death Glare. "Wufei?"  
  
"Winner. Slap sense into Yuy."  
  
Quatre sighed and tried to shoo Heero, who just stood there glaring,   
out of the kitchen. "Go get Trowa for me, please?" he finally asked   
once it became clear Heero wasn't to be persuaded away with gesturing   
or pleading looks.  
  
"Maxwell isn't here. I'm coming back."  
  
"Oh, Wufei, please just stay out there so I can keep Heero distracted.   
If you give up you know he's just going to go out looking himself..."  
  
"That's none of my concern." Somehow, Quatre's disappointment radiated  
in the silence and Wufei sighed in frustration, "Fine. You owe me for   
this, Winner. We both know Maxwell is perfectly capable of walking,   
so long as gum isn't involved, and this is just endangering the..."  
  
"Thank you, Wufei. You have your mobile? I'll call if Duo turns up   
here, okay? Try to get some sleep."  
  
"mission and wasting my..."  
  
"Thanks again."  
  
"time when I could be..."  
  
Quatre rested the receiver back into the cradle and let out a tired   
sigh, eyeing the cabinets longingly. The house had running water and   
a fine tea kettle, but no tea. Just coffee. Strong hands suddenly   
closed over his shoulders and squeezed gently, Trowa announcing his   
presence by infolding the smaller boy into a hug.  
  
Heero eyed the two of them with the soldier part ranting about the   
dangers of such a relationships, let alone with another pilot and in  
a deadly war to boot. The rest of him was simply envious. Turning   
away, Heero walked back into the living room only to stand there,   
lost. How could he ever except Duo to forgive him, to give him a   
second chance, or to believe him when he said...?  
  
Desperate eyes turned to the door and Heero knew, in that moment, he   
would give anything for just one minutes of Duo's attention. So he   
could explain... Emotions are for the weak, the soldier pointed out,   
but Heero firmly denied his training.   
  
Duo...  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
He lost track of time, sitting there in the rain and staring at the   
churning depths. Duo blinked rain out of his eyes and looked up and   
down the abandoned road. He couldn't return to the safe house. He had   
no where to go. His only home was with the other Gundam pilots.  
  
Standing stiffly, Duo sighed in defeat. Heero's words still weighed   
heavily on his heart, which felt as if a frag grenade had been   
detonated inside. Everything seemed so pointless now, including the   
stupid, stupid war and stupid, stupid Heero. If only Heero had made   
any other response. Things could be different.  
  
Duo gripped the railing and peered down at the rushing waters. "I   
should just jump in," he muttered. As soon as the words cleared his   
lips he felt as if a burden had been lifted from his shoulders.   
Hardly daring to breathe, Duo whirled around and vainly searched into   
the wet darkness for... for... Turning back, he clenched the metal   
tighter and stared at the creek.   
  
With infinite slowness, Duo climbed on to the railing and sat there,   
legs swinging out over the drop. The water would be near freezing   
cold, and he never was the best of swimmers. Duo paused, realizing he   
actually didn't know how to swim. It didn't matter, of course, but it   
was just something to think about for a delay.  
  
Was he sure about it? Duo hesitated, hands still on the railing for   
extra bracing. It was to be rational past the blinding agony of   
Heero's rejection. Yes, he was sure. What was living without the hope   
of love? Determined, Duo carefully stood on the rain-slicked metal and  
reached up to grab hold of the edge to the covering.   
  
Dimly, Duo wondered how long it would take them to find the body.   
Maybe they never would. Maybe fish would eat him. His long braid   
swung thickly back and forth as he shook his head to drive away all   
thoughts, knowing he'd lose his nerve soon.   
  
His hands feel from the covering and he stood there, unable to look   
away from the waters that would be his death. It was simple; one step   
and a few minutes of drowning, then it'd all be over. So, why did his   
feet not want to obey his silent command?  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Heero's ears caught the distant hum of an engine even over the steady   
pounding of the rain. Bolting out of his chair, Heero was out the   
front door before Quatre even had time to blink. Bumping down the   
muddy road was the jeep, and Heero's sharp eyes noted there was only   
one person sitting in it. That meant either Wufei was coming home in   
defeat, or Duo wasn't able to sit upright.  
  
"Heero, what are..." Quatre's question died as he, too, spotted the   
vehicle, but his eyes couldn't discern the driver's shadow from the   
darkness like Heero. "Is that Wufei?"  
  
"Hn," Heero grunted in reply, his hands clenching into fists at his   
side so they wouldn't shake.  
  
It seemed Wufei took forever to pull to a stop beside the house and   
jump out, his unintelligible Chinese curses drifting clearly over the   
fierce rain. "Wufei!" Quatre cried in disappointment as it became   
clear the boy was alone. "Where's Duo?"  
  
"The Gods only know and the Gods only care. Maxwell won't melt with a   
little rain and I need sleep," Wufei grumbled, stalking up the stairs   
to the porch of the safe house.  
  
"Wufei, Wufei," Quatre moaned, hurrying after the still-grumbling   
pilot and partially forgetting about Heero, standing there in silence.  
  
Slowly, Heero inched towards the jeep. Abruptly, and half-way through   
his gradual gravitation towards the vehicle, Heero realized how   
foolish it was to try and sneak out. Whatever Quatre might object   
didn't matter anymore. Duo was out there, his gut told him, and in   
danger. And Heero had to find the boy.  
  
"Heero!" Quatre cried, suddenly remembering who he had left on the   
porch. Bursting outside, the blond first looked frantically to the   
jeep, fearing that -- but the jeep was there. Frowning, Quatre stared   
out at the dark lawn and road. "Heero?"  
  
Moving swiftly, and using the natural obscurity for cover, Heero just   
barely heard Quatre's shouts above the noise of the weather. Leaving   
the jeep had been a risk, but Wufei had the keys and hot-wiring took   
time he did not have. The feeling that Duo was in peril increased as   
Heero broke into a run, boots splashing through mud and water puddles.  
  
I'm coming, Duo!  
  
It seemed he ran forever, his world collapsing down into mud, rain   
and fear, the last of which was a foreign emotion to him. Just when   
Heero thought he couldn't go on, the forest lining the road suddenly   
ended and he found his feet thudding over pavement. Skidding to a   
halt, Heero turned wide eyes to the side, hardly daring to confirm   
what he'd glimpsed from the corner of his vision.  
  
A familiar silhouette stood; long, damp braid clinging wetly in the   
dim moonlight. Stood on the railing of the bridge, looking ready to   
jump into the furious water below.  
  
"DUO!"  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
How much time had passed while he just stood there, unable to make   
his feet carry him into the deadly waters below? How long? This was   
what he wanted, wasn't it? A swift release from the pain and betrayal   
he felt deep inside? He was a killer of children and Heero... Heero   
was lost forever with four stupid words. Because I love you. Duo did   
regret not being able to say good-bye, but it was unlikely   
Heero-the-Cold would ever care.  
  
Except...   
  
"I don't want to die..." Duo whispered, feeling a tear slowly trail a   
path over his already damp cheeks. Again, he felt a weight being   
lifted and nearly laughed with hysterical relief at how close he had   
truly come.   
  
"DUO!"  
  
Duo's breath caught as he spun around in disbelief; that sounded   
exactly like Heero! And, sure enough, standing there on the bridge,   
soaking wet and winded, was Mr. Emotionless himself, Heero Yuy.   
Only... only that shout had been full of feeling, and it couldn't be   
Heero, despite the resemblance.  
  
With sickening certainty, Duo felt his feet slip on the wet metal of   
the railing. Off balance already from his abrupt turn, Duo had only   
time for a shriek of terror before the world tilted up. Frantically   
scrambling for balance, he found none and tumbled off from the   
railing towards the cold water below.  
  
Dear God I'm sorry, please...  
Heero dove between the bars of the railing, hand outstretched,   
grabbing frantically for any part of the falling boy. By some miracle   
his hand closed over Duo's wrist, but Heero kept sliding, nothing   
bracing him from follow Duo over the edge. Frantically, his other   
hand spun back up and snagged the closest vertical bar.   
  
Everything jerked to a halt and Duo's arm screamed in protest at the   
jarring stop. Below, the creek roared past. Duo felt faint and   
hysterical, his brain threatening melt-down at the overload.  
  
"Duo! Stop! I got you!" Heero shouted down, and the other boy abruptly  
stopped struggling. Duo glanced up, face white with fear, and saw the   
precariously hold Heero had on the bridge. "I got you," Heero   
repeated, no longer shouting.  
  
"Heero?"  
  
Amazingly, Heero smiled. Smiled! Duo was ready to admit he'd actually   
fallen into the water and died. Or, it could just be an illusion of   
the rain. "I can haul us back on to the bridge. Hold on."  
  
"Hold on? If you say so. Personally, I was all in favor of falling to   
a HORRIFIC DEATH!" Duo shrieked out the last part, suddenly aware of   
how ironic the entire situation was. Now that he didn't want to die   
he was going to. Thank you, God, for having such a rich sense of   
humor. Duo twisted his hand up and grabbed at Heero's wrist, doubling   
the link between them.  
  
Heero looked up in vain at the edge of the bridge. Straining, he   
tried to pull them up, but failed. He knew, deep down he just knew,   
there was no way he could get both him and Duo on to solid ground   
again. He would need both hands for it to even be plausible, but at   
the moment his grip on Duo was the only thing...  
  
"You can't do it, can you?" came Duo's voice, soft and calm. Heero   
peered down in surprise. Face still pale with fear, Duo stared back   
up and offered a weak grin, "You can't pull us both up, can you?"  
  
Although it killed him to admit it, Heero slowly shook his head. Duo   
nodded thoughtfully and glanced down to the water below. Heero   
swallowed, feeling faint, and focused on maintaining a death-lock on   
the railing and just as firm of hold on Duo's wrist.  
  
"Just drop me, Heero. I mean, I kinda wanted to live... but... No.   
Just let me go, okay? I don't want to drag you down with me."  
  
"No!" Heero tighten his grip on Duo, sick at the thought of that slim   
form tumbling into the water and being pulled under by the rushing   
current, never to appear again.  
  
"It's the only way. Eventually, you'll get tired of holding that bar."  
  
"Duo, stop it! I'll think of something..."  
  
"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" Duo asked quietly, unaware he   
was echoing the same fatal question Heero had issued earlier.  
  
Heero, however, sharply recognized this could be his second chance.   
Possibly third, if catching Duo as he fell through the air counted as   
a chance and... Heero cut off all thoughts and answered in a soft,   
hoarse voice, raw with emotion. "Because... I love you."  
  
The rain and the creek fell silent in honor of the moment; at least,   
it seemed that way to Duo, who hung there in a daze. "You... you   
what?" he breathed in awe.  
  
Slowly, Heero lowered his head to meet the stunned stare being aimed   
up at him. Duo's breath was dragged away in one rough gasp at the   
simmering emotion thinly veiled behind those blue depths. "Because I   
love you, Duo Maxwell."  
  
What he told himself was rain, but was most likely tears, blurred his   
vision, and Duo blinked to clear it. "I... I love you, Heero Yuy," he   
whispered back. And he let go of Heero's hand.  
  
-  
  
-   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
Author's Notes: See, that's what I meant about a double-meaning in   
the story title. Woah, that's *definitely* a cliffhanger, so... I was   
going to try and squeeze the ending into this part, but it got so long  
I had to *snip snip!* I've got part three in the works, but school   
seems a likely fate for me tomorrow even though I'm still sick.  
Thanks for all the lovely comments!!   
Please don't kill me x_x  
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2003 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.   
Email me to join my Update ML!   
LSE - Violet Nyte (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)   
shameless plug - visit my website for cool "shtuff"   



	3. Part Three

LSE // 5-1-03   
(Falling For You - Part Three)  
rated: R - language, content, violence  
shounen-ai/yaoi   
  
Part Three  
  
-  
  
"DUO!" Heero screamed, adjusting his grip in the last second to keep   
a fragile hold on Duo's wrist. A sob escaped him, and the world was   
softened by tears. "Don't do that!" he gasped, unable to stop his   
heart from racing uncontrollably.  
  
Passively, Duo stared upwards, vaguely disappointed Heero was so   
determined to fall to an icy death with him. However, all those   
thought stopped at seeing what looked suspiciously like tears   
clouding over the other boy's face. "Sorry," Duo whispered, voice   
trembling, "but you should have let me fall."  
  
"You fall, I'm coming after you," Heero answered, voice trembling.   
"Can you even swim?"  
  
"Like a rock."  
  
The hung there in silence, the rain beating down and making it hard   
for Heero to keep his hold on both Duo and the metal railing. While   
Heero struggled, Duo hung in relative relaxation, shivering slightly   
with the cold. The wind buffeted him, causing a gentle sway which   
further weakened Heero's grip. Despite the cold, he felt warm,   
reassured by the knowledge Heero loved him.  
  
"I'm sorry... for earlier," Heero said suddenly, jolting Duo out of   
his contemplative stupor.  
  
"Me too. I shouldn't have hit you."  
  
"I was being a bastard."  
  
"Stop it, or I'll bite your hand just to escape the mushiness," Duo   
quipped, but smiled softly when Heero looked down in surprise.  
  
Heero slowly returned the smile, and the moment, now shared,   
lengthened. Heero's firm grip on the railing laxed, and he scrambled   
to try and regain his hold. The rain complicated matters, and he   
ended up with a fraction of his earlier security.  
  
"H...Heero? Don't be afraid... You fall, I fall, right?" Duo asked   
nervously, seeing the Japanese pilot struggle to maintain his hold on   
the railing. "I... I love you!" he shouted, wishing Heero didn't have  
such a tight hold on his wrist. In a heart-beat, he would fall into   
certain death rather than... "I love you," Duo whispered in defeat.  
  
Heero felt his fingers slid off from the railing, and then he should   
have crashed down into the water far below... but he didn't. Opening   
eyes he wasn't even aware he had closed, Heero found himself staring   
up into familiar, shocked green eyes.  
  
"Trowa?"  
  
"Hold on," Trowa muttered, one hand firmly locked over Heero's wrist   
just like Heero was clinging to Duo. "Give me your other hand."  
  
"Can't," he added a fierce shake of his head to the word, unsure if   
he still held Duo through the numbing cold that was sweeping over him.  
What if he had let go? Duo couldn't swim.  
  
"Heero?" Quatre leaned over the railing, standing next to Trowa, who   
was stretched out on his stomach on the bridge. "Duo!" he shouted,   
spotting what Trowa couldn't in his position; that Heero's other hand   
was tightly locked over Duo's. "Duo's down there, Trowa."  
  
Leaning his head out, Trowa managed to catch a glimpsed of   
Deathscythe's pilot, hanging far below. "Quatre, go get some rope,"   
Trowa ordered quietly, trying to think of how to get both of them   
back on to the bridge. The gap in the railing wasn't wide enough for   
him to haul Heero through if the boy was holding on to Duo's hand.  
  
Quatre hurried over to the jeep, which was parked nearby. On a whim,  
he had made Trowa pull over, and when the noise of the engine had   
died off they both had heard shouts over the rain. Luck, fate, God --   
whatever it was -- enabled Trowa to see Heero's hand clinging to the   
bridge rail. Quatre shuddered, thinking how close they'd come. But,   
they weren't out of danger yet...  
  
Returning with the rope, Quatre hovered anxiously over Trowa's   
shoulder, trying to see into the gloom below. He couldn't tell if Duo   
was even conscious from the way the pilot hung limp in Heero's grasp.   
Quatre wondered how long they'd been hanging there from the bridge in   
the cold rain and wind.   
  
"What should I do with the rope, Trowa?"  
  
"Get Duo."  
  
Quatre blinked in surprise, then looked from the rope to the bridge,   
then down towards Duo. Quickly, he tied one end of the rope to the   
bridge railing and the other end he fastened into a secure loop.   
Carefully, he lowered to circle of rope down towards where Duo hung,   
trying to shout over the rain, "Duo! Grab this!"  
  
Heero's eyes slowly followed the loop's progress down. "Duo?" he   
called, wishing there could be some feeling in his cold, numb hands.   
All his energy was being placed into making sure it didn't let go of   
Duo now, this close to safety.   
  
Head lifting slightly, Duo squinted up into the rain just as the rope   
bounced against his face. "Ow," he muttered, reaching up and twisting   
his arm securely through the rope.   
  
Quatre pulled taunt the extra slack, bracing himself against the   
railing and suddenly very glad he'd taken the time to tie the rope   
to the bridge as well. "Okay, Trowa. I got him."  
  
Together, Trowa and Quatre hauled the dangling pilots back on to the   
bridge, carefully helping them back over the railing. Heero's feet   
hit solid ground first, and he immediately spun around to assist Duo   
over. Quatre, nearly thrown aside by Heero's sudden move, smiled   
softly to himself at the gentle way the Japanese boy handled Duo. The   
blond coughed and politely looked away as the two stood there in   
embrace.  
  
"I thought..." Heero started to say, but his voice choked and all he   
could do was cling to Duo. Dimly, he noticed Quatre saying something   
about blankets and leaving with Trowa, but it didn't seem important.   
  
Tightly clutched to Heero's chest, Duo's voice was muffled, "Heero?   
Are you cold?"  
  
"No..." Heero murmured, pulling his face out from Duo's wet hair and   
looking curiously into the boy's face.  
  
"But... you're shivering..." the words faded into embarrassed silence   
as Duo realized the shaking was purely nerves. "Are... you hurt?"  
  
Heero shook his head, "Just sore. You?"  
  
"I'll live," Duo answered quietly. "I'll live."  
  
The ride back to the safe house was subdued, Trowa driving while   
Quatre fussed over the two soaking wet pilots. Thickly bundled with   
blankets that were also growing wet, since the jeep afforded zero   
cover against the onslaught of rain, Duo tried to ward of Quatre's   
attentions. "I'm fine, Quatre. Stop worrying..."  
  
"Fine? How long were you out in the rain? How long were you dangling   
from that bridge without," Quatre abruptly stopped talking, not   
wanting to burst into hysterical tears. Just thinking about how close  
everything had been; if Trowa hadn't lunged so quickly... Quatre   
wanted to ask how Heero and Duo had ended up hanging off the bridge   
to start with, but he knew better.  
  
"I'm just cold, wet and tired. Really," Duo gave a reassuring smile,   
his voice ringing with sincerity, "I'm okay."  
  
Quatre sighed in defeat just as Trowa pulled to a stop along side the   
safe house. "Come inside, then."  
  
Seemingly unaffected by the entire ordeal, Heero obediently climbed   
out of the jeep, but paused for a moment before turning back.   
Extracting one hand from the blankets, he offered it out towards Duo,   
who simply stared at it in shock. Shaking his head slightly with a   
smile, Duo took the offered hand and used it to hop out of the jeep.  
  
As soon as his feet hit the ground, however, Duo crumpled, his knees   
no longer wanting to support him. Over two hours in the cold and rain   
in addition to the sheer stress of everything; it all chose that   
moment to catch up with him. Heero shouted in surprise and awkwardly   
caught the boy's weight, shrugging off his blankets.  
  
"Just tired," Duo mumbled with a sigh, sinking into the security of   
Heero's embrace and unconsciousness.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Sunlight streamed in through the closed blinds in bright, horizontal   
bars, one of which landed right across Heero's closed eyes. Annoyed   
eye-lids parted and blue depths squinted into the light before Heero   
rolled his head away. Half-way into the roll, however, he paused;   
what was the sun doing up? Usually, he woke long before the weak dawn   
sun had time to even contemplate shining through the window.  
  
And why did he feel as if every muscle in his body had been stretched   
and beaten? Suddenly, his fogged mind cleared and his last memories --  
the argument with Duo, the bridge, carrying Duo inside and...   
Heero sat up quickly, immediately seeking out the bed across the room   
with his gaze.  
  
Duo lay there, his slender frame bundled underneath blankets that   
clearly bore the mark of Quatre's nursing. Ignoring the protests from   
his sore body, Heero slipped out of his bed and hesitantly crossed   
the room to stand over Duo's bed. Cautiously, he lowered his weight   
on to the bed, causing the mattress and old springs to squeak in   
protest.  
  
For a while, Heero just sat there staring down at the boy's face,   
peaceful in sleep. Slowly, Duo's eyes opened and he started to sit up,  
startled to find Heero looking so intently at him and sure   
something had to be wrong. Oz attacking the village, maybe, or   
storming the front lawn while Quatre held them off with a frying pan   
or...  
  
"Hey, lay back down," Heero protested, pushing gently on Duo's chest,   
"I didn't mean to wake you."  
  
"Heero, I-"  
  
The boy shook his head, sending unruly chocolate bangs swaying low   
over his forehead, "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Fine. Listen-"  
  
Again, Heero interrupted, "Are you sure?"  
  
"Heero!" Duo cried in partial anger. "Will you just shut up and   
listen to me for a minute? It's important." He pushed Heero's hands   
off from his chest and sat up, leaning against the headboard.  
  
The Japanese pilot fell silent, shifting nervously; he expected Duo   
to retract his earlier declarations. They had both been under so much   
stress with the war and just everything... Heero couldn't deny his   
own feelings anymore, but what if Duo...?  
  
Lifting heavy eyes to stare right into Heero's, Duo seemed to nod   
quietly to himself before speaking, "I meant what I said, Heero.   
Every word... well, except all those about you being a cold,   
emotionless bastard," Duo offered a weak smile, with Heero returned   
hesitantly. "But I did mean everything else. About... how I feel   
for you. I just wasn't thinking straight back there, on the bridge.   
But, I want you to know, I wasn't going to jump. I would gladly take   
the plunge down into that creek to save you, Heero... because I do.   
Love you."  
  
"I'm sorry I hurt you," he said quietly, eyes dropping away from the   
intensity of Duo's gaze. "And... I meant what I said, too."  
  
Duo's shoulders slumped in defeat, taking the explanation to mean   
Heero was referring to the fatal last words of their fight. Of course,  
Heero would have said anything to rescue a pilot in trouble...  
  
Seeing Duo's reaction, Heero awkwardly placed a hand on top of Duo's,   
wondering why he seemed doomed to always say the wrong thing. "About   
loving you, Duo, not about... that other." Just in case Duo didn't   
believe the words, Heero drew up his courage and swiftly pressed his   
lips to Duo's soft cheek.   
  
The boy pulled away in shock, amethyst eyes searching over Heero's   
face and settling finally on that anxious stare. No longer cold and   
unfeeling, Heero's eyes fully reflected the emotions Duo knew had to   
be in the pilot's core. "Oh, Heero..." he murmured, wrapping his arms   
around the boy in a tight embrace.  
  
And as the late morning sunlight streamed through the windows, Heero   
pressed his cheek against Duo's soft, chestnut hair, marvelling at   
how lucky he was. Emotions were not for the weak, and love was   
definitely for the strong.   
  
-  
  
-   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
Author's Notes: Oh, you just thought I could be so evil!  
Yay! Finished at last. I enjoyed writing this, even though I felt   
guilty for not working on my AU 'fic like I was suppose to... whoops!   
^_^() Oh, well. For an update on my progress in that contest 'fic,   
just check my author's bio at FFN and MM.org.   
Uhm, still sick. Saw a doctor and got medication, so... yay. Not sure   
what I'm going to work on next. I quite possibly may just be   
completely irresponsible and tackle a new project. My muses are   
greatly inspired by my illness. Satan creatures...  
Shouts out to Kate, Holly and Ebony - thanks, girls!!  
  
(PS - I lowered the rating back to PG13 since I didn't do a scene I  
was planning on. But I like how this came out better.)  
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2003 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.   
Email me to join my Update ML!   
LSE - Violet Nyte (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)   
shameless plug - visit my website for cool "shtuff" 


End file.
